Dedicated to Mitchell302andrukkyedewor

Thank you so much for your votes 😁😭❣️

The walk to class felt like a runway walk.

She felt on top of the world. Everywhere she went eyes turned and murmurs arose, everyone had heard the news and most students were rushing in and out of the admin building to see the list.

"Guy how did you even score 99 in maths....mathssss!!" Rachel said, Ifechi threw her head back in laughter. They settled on one of the pavements near the tuckshop.

"They don't call her queen of maths for nothing" Dami chipped in.

"Yeah I get, but when I thought you're smart, I didn't know you're smart smart"

"Which one is smart smart again na?" Ifechi replied still laughing.

"347..." Rachel said slowly as if trying to process the number.

"Omo you're the best in the state o, if not the country sef" Rachel gushed.

Anita scoffed. "I'm sure they are people that scored higher"

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" Rachel snapped back taking everyone, including Anita by surprise.

"How can you be so jealous and bitter?" She spoke again.

"Rach..."

"No Dami leave me alone, I know she's your friend, but someone has to say it, I must talk today." She said shrugging off her hand.

"I'm not going to lie Anita, what you're doing is very pathetic. I didn't want to poknose but you left me no choice, you're really acting childish..ah ah, you said you didn't want toxic vibes, but you're the one who's toxic. Get over yourself, the guy has never and will probably never like you!" Rachel said and turned around to continue talking as if nothing had happened.

Anita was dumbstruck for a second, but she masked her surprise and fired back. "At least I'm not on a pity scholarship, unlike you, I can actually afford to school here" she said, Rachel's reply was an eye roll.

"I was expecting you would say that, of course that's the single lame reply you can muster, but news flash Anita, nobody cares. Why don't you go back to hanging out with your fellow airheads or better still, start studying hard so that you don't fail your waec too...with your 172 jamb score" she snickered.

"What is wrong with you?" Dami blurted.

"Rachel that's not nice na" Ifechi added.

"What! She started it..."

Anita walked away feeling a sting in her eyes. Dami ran after her, but not before turning back to look disdainfully at Rachel who rolled her eyes like she didn't give a cent about the two girls.

"You were really harsh" Ifechi reprimanded.

"Oh, so now you want to follow them abi"

"No, I mean...thank you for standing up for me, but you were a bit mean"

Rachel stared at her in disbelief before shaking her head sadly. "Na me messup"

"No that's not what I mean na..."

"Whatever!" Rachel waved her off standing up to leave as well. "...by the way, you're too silent for your own good. Instead of saying things when you should, you'll be there acting as if you're holier-than-thou pretending to not want trouble when in truth you're just being cowardly" she said and walked off.

It was Ifechi's turn to be dumbstruck.

The once bright day had suddenly turned gloom

Wahala

****************************************

Her mother welcomed her with a song.

"Chineke idinma idinma idinma eh, idinma ehh" she said dancing, Ifechi laughed and joined her, forgetting the earlier trouble of the day when she saw the childlike giddiness of her mum.

"But why you are home so early?"

"Is that the good afternoon you'll say" her mother gave her a playful slap.

Her siblings emerged from the room. "Mummy said you scored the highest in jamb in your school"

Ifechi raised a brow before the realisation hit her. "Oh the school called?"

"Duh, how else would mummy have found out"

She gave them a stink face and turned to her mum.

"If you see the way the vice principal was hyping you eh...I'm sure they'll paste it everywhere on their billboard...Ifechi Okereke...347/400, she's student D'Champions Academy. Here at DCA, we produce the best of the best..." her mum said mimicking her idea of a news reporter and Ifechi couldn't help but laugh.

"...come to DCA today, so that you'll make one of the best jamb scores in the country" her mum finished and by this time Ifechi was on the floor laughing.

"Mummy it's okay na" she said clutching her belly, her siblings stared at her as if she'd grown two heads.

"I'm really proud of you" her mother said hugging her, she heard a sniff, making her certain that her mum was going to start crying soon, but she detached herself and went to her bag.

"By the way, your father and I have some good news for you" she said bringing out a big envelope. Ifechi waited in anticipation as the fat envelope was placed in her hand.

"Whoa...is this money?"

"Yes" her mum replied, Ifechi's eye's widened.

"Wait, for me??" She said excitedly, this was too good to be true, it was like a dream.

"Yes...no, well tes..but it's not for your spending, it's for your exam"

"Oh" her dreams came crashing down. "Which exam?" She said, as far as she could remember, her waec and neco exams were included in her scholarship.

"Standard aptitude test ...or no it's not that one, standard assesment test" her mother rambled while Ifechi looked confused.

"Standard aptitude test?" Ifechi said still processing the information, her mum spoke in the background recalling different names for the abbreviation before it clicked.

"SAT?" She said astonished.

"Gbam!...that's it!" Her mom said while Ifechi giggled still surprised, she couldn't believe her ears."

"I'm taking the SATs? Like as in to school abroad?"

"Yes..."

"Ah...ah...ahhhhh!" She screamed excitedly, her mum was startled at first but folded her arms and smiled when she saw her daughter jumping.

"It's okay it's okay zukwanike...it's just the money for the form o, you've not written the exam yet"

"I know I know but...." Ifechi said still jumping excitedly, she suddenly paused.

"How did you and daddy get the money?" She felt sad at the thought that her parents must have pulled out a lot from their savings, the exam form was quite expensive.

"How else do you think? Your sponsor na? It's his congratulations gift to you for the jamb result. Your father forwarded it to him" Her mum said laughing and Ifechi released a sigh of relief.

"See eh that man really likes you o, because you're doing so well for him" Ifechi raised a brow at her mum's last statement.

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm..my daughter, let me tell you the truth" the older woman said with a facial expression Ifechi saw her use whenever she was about to reveal a secret, she drew Ifechi nearer as if to prevent her siblings from hearing the conversation despite her being loud.

"I overheard your father discussing with the senator some days ago..."

"Ehen?"

"...do you know why he's sponsoring you in the first place?"

"I thought it's because he's daddy friend"

"Just that? You think it's only that..."

"Well, it can be..."

Her mother shook her head and leaned forward, prepared to give the full gist.

"Yes they're friends, but that's not the main reason...the senator recently started a scholarship program for young brains like you, infact you're one of his first few beneficiaries..." Her mum continued. "...his aim is to recruit very brilliant brains like yours, train you people here and even help you secure abroad, so that you'll become ambassadors for his organisation and when you become very successful, everybody will give him credit as your sponsor, then he can keep collecting millions from the government for the project"

"Ehhnn?" Ifechi said with keen interest, her eyes widening from the revelation.

"But how come he hasn't said anything about the organisation, how am I to be a student ambassador for an organisation I know nothing about?" She asked.

"That was what I was wondering too...but then he told your father that their media team just launched their website for publicity, and you're going to be their first publication, as one of the best jamb candidates in the country"

Ifechi was beyond astonished. "Wow"

"Now do you see why he's very interested in your academics? You're doing well for his organisation, if you continue on this path and you make a big name, do you know how much credit he'll get?"

Ifechi nodded, things were starting to click. Was this why Grace teased her about being her father's charity's project? Senator Okigbae was indeed using her, but with what she stood to gain, Ifechi couldn't complain. Infact, she was super grateful. If being the latest 'charity project' of her school worse enemy meant that she got a chance to school at MIT or Stanford, or even Harvard, then so be it.

She was a proud scholarship kid!

That night she did her research as instructed by her mother. SAT had very few centers in the country given its little popularity among average Nigerians. Luckily for her, there happened to be a center in Port Harcourt where she lived. She clicked on the link to see the registration details. With the form, and the books and the tutoring, she summed up the amount in her head.

"Hundred and twenty thousand??!!" She shrieked in horror, she knew the exam was costly, but she didn't expect it to be that expensive.

Good thing her parents didn't have to pay a dime.

"I'm really sorry for what I said yesterday Ifechi, I didn't mean to be rude" Rachel apologized the next day on the field. Sports bell had gone off signaling the end of school for the day. Her classmates were already rushing out of the field to God knows where. Ifechi and some other students stayed back to clear the equipment they'd used for the day.

"It's okay, I'm not angry" Ifechi waved it off, whatever issue occured before she got her recent news didn't have the power to offend her anymore.

Rachel stood still shocked "wow...hmm okay...but eh sometimes I wonder if you're real, do you ever get angry sef" Rachel teased.

Ifechi's reply was cut off when she saw who was approaching.

"Pedro..." Her voice came out in a whisper.
She said rooted to the spot while he drew closer, her heart beating rapidly with every step he took. It seemed like ages they'd spoken even though it wasn't even up to a week. She wondered what she would say to him when he got close, would he still be friends with her after she refused his proposal?

"Hey, Ify, Rachel, how are you guys" he gave them a sweet smile. Ifechi felt a burden being lifted from her shoulders.

He didn't hate her.

"Good how about you?" Rachel replied.

"I'm..ok, good...fine, I'm fine" Ifechi rushed instead and he squinted at her with a teasing smile, Rachel cleared her throat, trying to stifle her laughter.

"What...."

"P.G" A female voice called, three of them turned to see Boma, Ifechi didn't miss the way his face lit up and she felt awkwardly stupid with a weird feeling.

"Well, um...have to go, bye" he said and started jogging towards the building before Ifechi could say anything.

She watched as he got to where Boma was standing, her chest constricting as they both walked into the class building, he even placed his hand around her shoulder and was laughing at something she said.

Wait...was she feeling jealous?

Snap out of it Ifechi, what is wrong with you???

She wasn't even done processing her information when Rachel's voice rang in alarm.

"Ifechi.." she said tapping her hand rapidly. The light skinned girl turned and almost wished she could dissapear.

What the heck did he want now?

"Hi" he said in his usual raspy voice.

She forced a tight smile. "Damien"

He smiled, but it wasn't his usual charming smile, he looked rather uncertain. "Can I talk to you?"

She looked around. "Sure"

His eyes went from her face to Rachel and Ifechi was going to tell him that she wasn't going to leave but he spoke up. "No It's fine she can stay" he said as if he'd read her mind.

She heaved a sigh of relief. With another person there, it meant he wasn't there to try to woo her.

"I have to ask you for a favour, a huge one" he said laying emphasis on the 'huge'

"Okay I'm out of here" Rachel took the cue and left, ignoring Ifechi's silent pleas with her eyes for her not to. Ifechi watched in slight horror as Rachel scampered away to the bleachers, leaving just the two of them within that vicinity.

"Great" she murmured sarcastically turning around to behold the pretty boy in her front, could Damien ever get less attractive?

"Okay what is it then?" Ifechi said, she tried her best not to sound rude, it's not like they were quarreling anyway. Maybe it was a reasonable request.
.
.

"Can you be my maths tutor?"

"Wait what?!"

A/N
Dun dun...maths tutor ke, what's Damien planning now 😂😂😂

So now we know why Ifechi's sponsor is so generous for her education. Seriously though, if you're under scholarship and you're doing really well for the organisation you're under, keep working hard! Good organizations won't let you down if you're an amazing student, you may not know this, but many top universities actually spend a loooottt of money on scholarships to exceptional students because they know the returns they'll get in terms of fame and reputation is not one that money alone can buy.

In other words, school no be scam, take your education very seriously (I'm talking to my younger ones out there😁❣️)

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the late post, for this reason I'll upload another chapter very soon (probably tomorrow) instead of next week as usual.

Pls do like and comment and share my stories with your friends.

As usual, Jesus Christ loves you❤️ (believe me...he does, before you even knew)